Water key for brass wind musical instruments

ABSTRACT

A FLUID RELEASE VALVE FOR BRASS WIND INSTRUMENTS (CORNETS, TRUMPETS, TROMBONES AND THE LIKE) COMMONLY KNOWN AS A WATER KEY BUT DISTINCT AND DIFFERENT FROM TTHE CONVENTIONAL PIVOTED LEVER-TYPE WATER KEY. IT COMPRISES A VALVE BODY EMBODYING A CYLINDER AND AN ENCLOSED SPRING-LOADED PISTON WHICH RECIPROCATES IN THE CYLINDER AND WHICH SIMULTANEOUSLY OPENS AND CLOSES DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE FLUID INLET AND DISCHARGE PORTS AND HAS A PUSH-BUTTON-TYPE FINGER-PIECE AT A READILY ACCESSIBLE END OF THE VALVE BODY.

Dec. 7, 1971 R. A. AMADO WATER KEY FOR BRASS WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTSFiled May 12, 1970 Raymond A. Amado INVENTOR.

Y 2mm WWW United States Patent r I. .1 3,625,104 u WATER KEY FOR BRASSWIND MUSICAL I INSTRUMENTS RaymondA. Amado, 9 W. Broad S t.,

- Havel-straw, N.Y. 10927 Filed May 12, 1970, Ser. No.,36,577 Int. Cl.G10d 7/10 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to waterkeys such as are currently provided on brass wind instruments such ascornets, trumpets, fiugelhorns, trombones, baritones, tubas and the likeand has to do, more particularly, with an adaptation which ischaracterized by a fixed cylinder having inlet and discharge ports and aspring-biased piston-type valve which is finger actuated and effectuallyserves the purposes for which it has been devised. The ambienttemperature of the area in which a brass wind instrument is usuallyplayed is almost invariably lower than the temperature of the moving aircolumn which is blown into and through the tubing. The resultantcondensate and moisture if permitted to accumulate, may gurgle andotherwise impair the performance and capability of the instrument. Tocope with this problem, instrument manufactures provide each instrumentwith a pivoted lever-type spring-closed water key of well knownconstruction.

Knowledgeable and precision minded brass instrument players haverepeatedly called attention to seemingly small but significantmechanical defects known to exist, for example, in high velocityinstruments, such as comets and trumpets. The water key now being usedhas been found to be lacking in efficiency in that the relatively largefluid pooling release tap constitutes a void which noticeably disturbsthe instruments intonation and tonal center and impedes the desiredsmooth flow of air. In fact, it is common knowledge that recognizedartists have their instruments made minus the conventional water key andbodily remove the required slide or crook in a manner to drain anddispose of unwanted fluid. To the ends desired, the herein disclosedpiston valve has a sleeve-like body which can be soldered or otherwisefixed in ,requisite close proximity to the coacting wall of the tubing,thus placing the discharge port distal to the seal. It follows that thevoid is reduced as much as 80%, whereby to permit uninhibited flow ofthe column of air.

"Failure of the coil spring in the regular lever-type water key is alsoa potential difficulty. The fact is, the spring is known to be underoptimum torsion in order to keep the pad seated and sealed andaccordingly increases to maximum tensional strain when the lever ismanually tripped. Manifestly, breakage of the spring or loss of the sealwhile laying renders the instrument useless until the required repaircan be made. 1

Another aspect of the instant concept has to do with weight andappearance. In carrying out the principles of the present inventionthese factors have been accorded consideration with the result that inthe improved water 10 Claims A fluid release valve for brass windinstruments (cor- 3,625,104 Patented Dec. 7, 1971 ice valve or key theweight has been reduced to as much as 2 to 5 grams less than that ofpresently used water keys. Then, too, the design of the improved waterkey dispenses with cumbersome and detracting appearance factors and alsoreduces the number of parts to a minimum and thus saves time, labor andassembling expense. A further feature of the specially designedappearance of the device ties in with effective elimination of aseparate seal, and more significantly, minimizes operational movement byapproximately 75% compared to the movement required in actuation of theaforementioned conventional water key.

Briefly the herein disclosed improved water key lends itself to feasibleand effectual use on the regularly used tubing of the instrument.However, and as will be hereinafter noted, the water release port is ofa depth and diameter significantly less than the depth and diameter ofthe regularly used port. The valve body takes the form of an elongatedsleeve with an internal cylindrical bore which defines the desiredcylinder. Readily applicable and removable means functions to close oneend of the sleeve. The other end of the sleeve has a wall provided withan axial guide opening. A first median wall portion of the sleeve has aninlet port of predetermined diameter which corresponds to the smalldiametered water release port in the tubing. A second median portion ofthe sleeve diametrically opposite the inlet port has a discharge oremptying port. A leak-proof piston of requisite length and diameter isprecision-fitted and reciprocable in the cylinder and has one endportion fashioned to firmly abut the inner portion of the surface of theapertured end of the sleeve. The main body portion of the pistonnormally and simultaneously covers and closes both inlet and dischargeports. An end of the body portion of the piston has an axial socket toaccommodate an end portion of a coil spring which is confined in thecylinder and has one end retentively fitted into the socket and itsother end in end thrust abutting as well as operative and coactingcontact with the aforementioned closure means. That end portion of thepiston, which can perhaps be described as a shank, projects outwardlyand slidingly through an opening provided therefor and provides a pushbutton.

The push button can be a solid type snugly but slidingly fitted into theguide opening. Alternatively, it can be in the form of a cup or capwhich is slidingly capped over an end portion of the sleeve to providean adequate operating push button.

In carrying out the principles of the invention the spring utilized isof a requisite coiled type. It can be and is under minimum tension whenin its normal port closing position. Only enough tension is required tokeep the piston seal covering the inlet and discharge ports in the valvebody. Repeated experimental use of a valve devised and constructed asherein shown and described has shown that the spring-loaded piston wellserves the purposes for which it has been perfected and that the springwill outlast torsion springs such as are used as a component part of theaforementioned lever-type water key.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view with parts in section and elevation showingthe improved water key or valve with the body or main part of the pistoncovering and blocking both inlet and discharge ports, and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing a modification such as Willbe hereinafter fully described.

By way of introduction to the description of the details it may well bepointed out that both embodiments of the water key or valve arestructurally and functionally similar. However it seems advisable todescribe these embodiments separately. With this in mind the overalltubing of the aforementioned instrument is denoted in FIG. 1 by thenumeral 6. That part of the tubing which is primarily underconsideration herein is denoted by the numeral 8 and as shown in FIG. 2the tubing wall is usually .020 thick. The diameter of the releaseorifice or port 10 (FIG. 2) is .100 and the depth is 0.30.

The self-contained ready-to-use water key or valve is denoted, generallystated, by the numeral 12. The valve body 14 is of elongated sleeve formand the attachable median portion is provided with a segmental recess 16which is conformingly fitted and soldered in place as at 18. The bore ofthe body is of uniform diameter from end to end and provides theaforementioned cylinder 20. One end Wall of the body, the wall 22, isprovidedwith a guide opening 24 of requisite diameter. The other endportion of the body (at the left in FIG. 3) that is, the end portion 26is open and provided inwardly ofthe terminal end with an endless groove28 to accommodate a split ring 30 which is seated and held in place inthe manner shown. This arrangement serves to accommodate an insertableand removable disk-like member 32 which provides a closure, and which isheld in the cylinder by the split ring and which has an axial boss 34which serves in the manner shown. The inlet orifice or port in the uppermedian portion of the sleeve is denoted by the numeral 36 andcorresponds in diameter with the release port 10. It is diametricallyopposite the exit or discharge port 38. If desired the bottom portion isrecessed as at 40 to accommodate a coacting part of an optionally usabledischarge nipple 42.

A valve body serves to accommodate the manually actutable spring-loadedor spring-biased piston valve. This piston or valve comprises a mainbody portion 44 which has an axial recess 46 therein. This recess servesto accommodate end coils of a suitably tensioned coil spring 48. Theother end coils are positioned in thrust relation with the end closingdisk 32 and are arranged to encompass the piloting and retaining boss34. The right hand portion of the piston, which comprises a disk-likehead, is denoted at 50 and is of a diameter to effectively close theguide opening 24. The median part of the piston is provided with anencompassing annular groove or channel 52 and which constitutes a fluidby-passing or clearance channel. This channel is normally in the valveclosing position, shown in FIG. 3. Obviously it can be pushed from rightto left to assume a port opening position. This head 50 is centrallyprovided with an integral extension or projection 54 which extendsoutwardly through and beyond the opening 24 and provides afinger-actuable push button. Normally the push button is in thereadyto-use position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. By exerting pressureagainst the button and the tension of the spring 48 the piston valve 44can be moved from the normal closing position to the left in FIG. 3,whereupon the channel or encircling groove lines up with the ports 10,36 and 38 to make for requisite drainage of liquid or moisture as thecase may be.

With respect to the slight modification shown in FIG. 4 the instrumenttubing is here referred to by the numeral 60, the release orifice orport being denoted at 62. This port is in line with the inlet port 64 inthe median part of the sleeve-like valve body 66. The port 64corresponds in diameter with the port 62 and also is of the samediameter as the discharge port 66 in the bottom intermediate or medianportion of the valve body. The arcuate or segmental seat 68 isconformingly fitted against the periphery of the tubing and is welded orotherwise secured in place as at 70. The left hand open end of the valvebody is internally screw-threaded, the end portion being denoted at 72.The threads serve to accommodate suitable threads 74 on the neck of aclosing cover or closure 76. The periphery of this can be knurled ifdesired (not detailed). This closure is located at one end of thecylinder 78, the other end wall of the valve body, denoted; at 80, isprovided with a guide hole 82.

The piston valve has a body portion 84 which is fittingly arranged inthe cylinder to simultaneously close the inlet and discharge ports 64and 66. Here again an axial socket 86 is provided to accommodate the endcoils of the coil spring 88. The left hand end 87 of the coil spring isseated in a pocket provided therefor in the closure 76. The encirclingperipheral or surface groove or channel 90 is here slightly differentfrom that shown at 52 in FIG. 3. However the function is the same.Likewise the abutment head 92 here abuts the apertured end Wall but isslightly different in that it is provided with a screw-threaded shank 94which extends through the guide opening and is screwed into an axialsocket member 96 forming an integral part of the push button cap. Thecap is denoted at 98 and has an encircling flange 100 which is slidinglyand fittingly capped over the coacting end portion of the valve body.The discharge nipple here is denoted at 102 and is soldered orotherwisefixed to I line up with the discharge port 66. The manner in which thisembodiment of the invention is mounted and functions is believed to beclear from the views of the drawing.

Experience has shown that the invention disclosed, compared to prior artadapatations, is characterized by fewer parts. There are no rubber ofcork seals required. In fact, less pressure is required to achieve thenormal valve closing action. Further one solder connection to theinstrument insead of several is significant. In addition the inventionis simple, practical and is easier to maintain. Although light anddurable it is amply sturdy to achieve the precision action and endresults desired.

It may and should be explained that thedesired leak prevention result isnot dependent on either'of the-spring retaining sleeve-closing members32 or 76 nor the apertured ends 22 or 80 (FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively).The tolerance between the ID. of the valve body 14 andthe CD. of thepistons 44 and 50 provides the closure or seal against air leak. This isaccomplished by centerless grind ing the piston body .0002 undersize inrelation to the precision reamed valve body.

It is believed that a careful study of the views in connection with thespecification will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensiveunderstanding of the invention and features and advantages and manner ofuse. A more extended description is deemed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope. of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a brass musical instrument embodying a length of tubing having awater release port, a normally closed water valve for opening andclosing said port at will, said valve comprising a hollow valvebodyfixed on an exterior surface of said tubing, and having an inlet orificeproximal to and cooperatively aligned with said water key port and alsohaving a distal discharge port for draining said body, and a readilyaccessible valve member operatively mounted in said valve body adaptedto simultaneously open and close both said inlet orifice and saiddischarge port, said valve member in the closed position lyingsubstantially flush with said surface of said tubing.

2. The combination defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein saidinlet orifice and discharge port are diametrically opposite each other.

3. The combination defined in and according to claim 1 and wherein saidbody has an internal cylindrical bore, said valve member comprising aplunger, said plunger embodying a cylindrical piston fitting slidably insaid bore and normally spanning and closing both said inlet orifice anddischarge port.

4. The combination defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein saidbody comprises an elongated sleeve having an internal cylindrical bore,a cylindrical springbiased piston fitting slidably in said bore andhaving operating means at one readily accessible end of the sleeveadapted to be manually actuated in a manner to open and close saidorifice and said discharge port at will.

5. The combination defined in and according to claim 4,

and wherein said one end is provided with an axial guide opening, thatportion of the piston which is adjacent to and cooperable with said oneend having means slidable through and outwardly beyond said one end andprovided with a button-like finger actuated member providing theaforementioned operating means.

' 6. The combination defined in and according to claim 5, and whereinsaid sleeve is provided at its other end with manually applicable andremovable closure means which when removed enables one to have access tosaid bore, spring and piston.

7. A water key for a brass wind instrument which embodies tubingprovided with a water release port comprising an elongated sleeve havingan internal cylindrical bore, readily applicable and removable closuremeans covering and closing one end of said sleeve, the other end of saidsleeve having an axial guide opening, a first median wall portion ofsaid sleeve having an inlet port of predetermined diameter correspondingto the diameter of said water release port, a second median portion ofsaid sleeve diametrically opposite said inlet port having a dischargeport, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder and having one end abuttingan inner surface of said other end of said sleeve, said piston beingreciprocable in said cylinder and normally simultaneously covering andclosing both said inlet and discharge ports, said piston in the closedposition lying substantially flush with said water release port, saidpiston having an axial socket, a coil spring confined in said cylinderand having one end retentively fitting into said socket and its otherend abutting and operatively and retentively coacting with said closuremeans, and said one end having an outwardly disposed side provided withfinger actuated operating means.

8. The water key defined in and according to claim 7, and wherein themedian peripheral surface portion of said piston is encircled by acircumferentialfluid bypassing and clearance groove which is adapted tobe simultaneously registered with said inlet and discharge ports whenthe valve is intentionally opened for drainage needs.

9. The water key defined in and according to claim 8, and wherein saidfinger actuated operating means comprises a readily accessiblepush-button.

10. The water key defined in and according to claim 8, and wherein saidfinger actuated operating means comprises areadily accessible cap whichis guidir'igly and slidingly capped over a coacting end of said sleeveand provides a conveniently accessible push-button.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 316,519 4/1885 Booth 84-397869,033 10/ 1907 Viol 84-397 1,298,595 3/ 1919 Steinbrueck 84-3971,775,788 9/1930 Stewart 84-397 2,482,903 9/1949 De Rubeis 84-3973,081,942 3/1963 Maclay 235-201 3,248,052 4/ 1966 Schonfeld et al235-201 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner L. R. FRANKLIN, AssistantExaminer

